Month: February 2017
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Destiny Update 2.5.0.2

While Destiny isn’t exactly a Gigamax favorite (it’s complicated), we know that plenty of people around the world still love this shared world shooter. On Tuesday, Bungie is rolling out their latest update which makes some monumental changes to certain weapons. Thankfully the developers are keeping the community informed. During a live stream they detailed every change that was coming so players know exactly what to expect.

Source: http://bit.ly/2lyT39l

To start, Bungie went over exactly what they’re changing in the primary weapons throughout the game. Slow firing auto rifles like the Suros Regime are getting a damage buff making them more appealing in PVE situations. The critical hit multiplier for auto rifles is also being raised from 1.25 to 1.3 and Players will be happy to know that aiming this popular weapon while jumping will be way easier.

Scout Rifles are also being shown love with a boost to their accuracy and the ability to utilize the benefits of high caliber rounds. Pulse rifles have also been reworked by lowering the rate of fire for low impact rifles by 7.7%. High caliber rounds in the pulse rifle will also inflict less flinch on enemies. Specific rifles like the Grasp of Malok and the Clever Dragon are having their magazine size reduced by 6 rounds. Not all the changes to pulse rifles are bad though, high impact rifles will be receiving a fire rate buff by 5.3%. Finally much like the auto rifle, this weapon will be much easier to aim while in the air.

Source: http://bit.ly/2kQedzL

Receiving the biggest update are hand cannons, which have recently seen a lot less use. The first shot accuracy is being brought back up to year one values, although the base range is being reduced by 5 meters. As of now Hand Cannon damage has a 50% drop off at max range but after the update it will do 33% of the base damage past the intended range. Lastly, just like the scout rifles high caliber rounds will now affect the hand cannon.

The Nerf Hammer

Primary weapons aren’t the only thing seeing a change, one secondary weapon is also seeing some major updates. Shotguns have been hit with the nerf hammer pretty hard this time around with the most dramatic change being that critical damage is being removed completely. Aim assist while hip firing is also being cut and the mid air accuracy has been decreased. To make up for these changes shotguns will be receiving a 25% increase to damage in PVE zones and players agility will no longer be decreased while holding the weapon.

Source: http://bit.ly/2lwAXDS

Destiny’s upcoming update is highly anticipated by long term players, but doesn’t offer much to those that have stopped playing. Feelings for these weapon changes are sure to be mixed. What do you guys think of the update? Let us know in the comments below and remember to keep checking back with Gigamax for all the latest gaming news!

Playground Games Takes The Open-World For A Ride

Every racing game fan has played or at least heard about Forza Horizon game. A staple of the genre, developer Playground Games has set the standard for racing games. Now, Playground Games is ready to try their hand at something new and it could be big, literally.

Headquartered in Leamington Spa, UK they are currently seeking a new location that will be the base of operations for their second studio. “Ideally within walking distance” according to Playground Games. The makers of Forza will be directly overseeing the development of their new project but it will create two distinct teams.

Expected to be an open world, non-racing game, this is truly out of their element. GameIndustry.biz had a diolog with Playground Games founder and creative director, Ralph Fulton where he offered his reason for experimenting with this new kind of game. The new studio will be “a great opportunity for us to test ourselves in a different genre.” Fulton said. He continues by saying, “ we’re going to need to hire some very talented people with experience that we don’t have.”

Expanding and Improving

A promising sign is that Playground Games is absolutely aware that they have limited means to get this new open-world game off the ground. Currently staffed with 115 people, they have plans to grow to around 200. The independent studio opened in 2010 and has only focused on Forza Horizon titles. Understanding that it will be absolutely vital to expand and take on new creative talent shows that they’re on the right tract to meet impressive challenge.

Playground Games will now be effectively controlled by two separate leadership teams. Each team will be able to work independently, able to focus on their own project. Great news for Forza fans as Fulton ensured this will not impact their successful racing franchise. Forza Horizon “remains the cornerstone of our business” said Fulton. “We’re not running away from racing, we still feel passionate about making new racing games and delivering new experiences for our players.”

We here at Gigamax Gamers will be keeping a close eye on the developments surrounding Playground Game’s new project. No details have emerged about the theme or scope, open-world is the only information available to the public so far. Stick around, we’re excited.

Death Stranding at RTX

At this week’s RTX, legendary game designer Hideo Kojima spoke about his upcoming game Death Stranding.

Kojima spoke about the big decision to partner with Sony making this highly anticipated title a PS4 exclusive. He noted that there were many interested parties outside of the gaming industry that offered a lot of money, specifically pointing out a potential buyer from the United Arab Emirates. Sony was ultimately chosen because they allowed Kojima to express creative freedom without having to worry about censorship. He specifically noted that some companies may not be ok with the game’s depiction of Norman Reedus without any clothes. It was also reported that he chose Sony because of his familiarity with the company.

During the interview it was asked if Death Stranding will incorporate any kind of virtual reality. Kojima unfortunately said that the game is not made for VR. Although with Sony trying to push sales on its PSVR hardware, it wouldn’t be surprising to see its functionality added later. He also said that there was no sequel planned for Death Stranding but if fans want it bad enough, one will be put into consideration.

Source: http://bit.ly/2jTiIaC

Game Development and Progress

Kojima also provided an update on how the game is coming along and what gamers can expect to see. He said that players are going to get an open world game that offers a large degree of freedom. The game will feel very different than current triple AAA games as well. Pointing out that current video games revolve around fighting back enemies with various weapons, Death stranding will instead focus on connections and bringing people together.

The game is still in the very early ages of development, with the team currently working on game logic and testing. This year they will be working on filling up the open world and making additions to the foundation. As of now there is no release date, but 2018 is the rumored time slot. It has also been confirmed that the game is coming out on this generation of hardware.

Excited to see what Kojima has put together, the industry waits with bated breath. Be sure to check back at Gigamax Games soon for the latest updates surrounding Death Stranding.

The Flame in the Flood – Let’s Play – Playlist with GIGAMAX Games

The Flame in the Flood delivers a relaxed survival experience. Relaxed and survival aren’t two words normally used to describe a game where a character is fending for their lives. However, this game does it.

To be honest, it was relaxed for a bit until the wildlife decided to turn against us. Come join us as we brave the rapids and fend off the wild beasts that stand in our way.

The playlist below includes our adventure with The Flame in the Flood. Our first attempt was a doozy to say the least. Don’t forget to Subscribe to keep up with our latest videos! Let’s Plays every Thursday and Thursday. Catch the PowerHour every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00pm – 12:00pm!

‘Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth By Sleep’ Playlist with GIGAMAX

Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth By Sleep has the world excited for Kingdom hearts 3. An incredible new game engine was used for a section of the game and the graphics were unbelievable. It played well, but Gigs and Mack encounter some classic Kingdom Hearts targeting issues. The playlist below offers an extraordinary look into Birth By Sleep using Unreal 4.

Check back soon for the latest additions to the Kingdom Hearts playlist. Gigamax will be playing through the game in its entirety. Then, going back to the PlayStation 3, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 are up next!

To keep up with the latest streams and videos from Gigamax Games, don’t forget to Subscribe! Let’s Plays release every Tuesday and Thursday. Catch the PowerHour streams every Tuesday and Thursday-night from 11:00pm – 12:00am. Articles come out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday!

Final Fantasy XV Update Frenzy

Source: http://bit.ly/2jDz7Vj

Final Fantasy XV Update: The creators finally address the highly criticized 13th Chapter. However, this isn’t the only update the game will receiving. A slew of updates will begin releasing starting on Feb. 21. The director, Hajime Tabata offered up this information during their live-stream dedicated to Final Fantasy XV.

The first update will be primarily for the PlayStation 4 Pro. Available on Feb21st, this update comes along with the “booster pack” DLC. After this update, Final Fantasy XV will run at 60fps. Along with this performance update, players will now be able to listen to music while riding the chocobo. We here at gigamax don’t agree with installing radio’s on animals… But I digress. Additionally, the level cap will be raised to 120.

Next up will be the highly anticipated Chapter 13 update which releases on March 28th. This update also comes along side the “Episode Gladiolus” DLC. The Chapter 13 update will include various improvements to the notoriously slow last chapter. Facing an outcry from fans, Tobata ensured they will fix some of the issues they’ve heard about. However, few details were offered about what content will be included in the updated final hours. One exciting detail that was offered was that Gladiolus will be a playable character during this section of the game. The update is perfectly timed as the ‘Episode Gladiolus’ DLC allows players to use the character throughout its duration.

Don’t Rush

Source: http://bit.ly/2jDoeTn

Initially, gamers thought the developers ended up rushing Chapter 13 but Tobata quickly dismissed those claims. “The direction of chapter 13’s content was a deliberate decision made by the development team,” he explained. “That said, the amount of stress inflicted on the player while running through this chapter was greater than we had anticipated. We believe resolving this issue will naturally lead to a better gameplay experience.” (http://bit.ly/2kApuGj)

This outlines all the content detailed in the Final Fantasy Live Stream. However, the new content still doesn’t end there. Tobata revealed an ‘Episode Prompto” DLC will release in June. One of our favorite characters, this should be an exciting and humorous addition to Final Fantasy XV.

Expected in the future, an update will allow Noctis to take the Regalia off-road. No other details are available and no release date was set. This is a feature that will truly offer an exciting experience for our second play through.

Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue

It’s been 12 years since the last core Kingdom Hearts game. Finally, Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue feels like the last stepping stone before the third entry. 2.8 is another uprezzed collection much like Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 but misses out on not including a game from the main series. This time around players are given Dream Drop Distance (the 3DS game), Birth By Sleep: A Fragmentary Passage (a short section from the PSP game), and a collection of cutscenes from the mobile title Unchained x. While there is plenty of content, it is nowhere near as substantial as the prior remasters but manages to remain fun with what is delivered.

Developer Square Enix put a lot of work into making the old 3DS title, Dream Drop Distance work on the PS4. Playing the game feels way more comfortable on a Dualshock controller then it did on the clunky 3DS gamepad. The combat flow feels smoother and getting invested in the worlds is easier when you can see everything that’s going on. That being said, this is still an apparent 3DS port. Touch and motion controls were a big part of the title and they don’t always translate well to the PlayStation. The game also plays differently than a core Kingdom Hearts so newcomers beware,this is not a traditional Kingdom Hearts experience.

Sora and Riku: Dynamic Duo

Dream Drop Distance relies on a gimmick that has the player switch between controlling Sora and Riku. A drop meter is added underneath the health bar and when the automated timer runs out the player is forced to switch to whichever character they were not using. Seeing the two heroes stories develop simultaneously is entertaining, but the invasive drop system ruins the experience. Once the drop timer runs out, no matter where you are or what enemy is being fought the game force switches your character. I had too many instances of long boss encounters having to be restarted because of this new system. Also gone is the traditional buddy system. Sora no longer fights alongside famous Disney characters. New to the series is the spirit partner system that has players create pets based on the enemies you fight. Using these new partners, our heroes are able to utilize spirit link attacks that let Riku fuse and Sora combo attack with their respective monsters. These new abilities are fun to use but only add to the chaos of the combat system which sometimes feels a little too hectic.

Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth By Sleep: A Fragmentary Passage

The next entry available to players is “Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth By Sleep: A Fragmentary Passage.” This snippet of the PSP game Birth By Sleep has been completely remastered in the Unreal 4 engine. The new style is a first glimpse into what Kingdom Hearts 3 is going to look and play like. The combat is fast and fluid and the story gives a good impression of what’s going on in the events right before the third core game. Aqua is an awesome hero and the new option to customize your character’s appearance is an entertaining distraction. The only downside to this experience is that it is not terribly long. I managed to complete 0.2 in 2 hours 45 minutes on normal difficulty, albeit without finding a ton of the secrets that the game has hidden. This small section of gameplay leaves you wanting so much more, but unfortunately that is still a ways off.

Overall Kingdom Hearts 2.8 is a welcomed addition to the series, but at the end of the experience it only leaves a desire to play the main games. This title is a treat for fans who need something to tide them over while waiting for Kingdom Hearts 3. Newcomers to the series will be left confused and should wait for the re releases of 1.5 and 2.5 on the current gen consoles before sinking money into 2.8. If you’d like a look into what the game looks and plays like, we have a Let’s Play at the bottom of the article that will give more insight into the game.